Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Mumbai? Ah, My Lord...

I thought I followed the news. While watching the footage from India today, I thought, What's happening in this random city is horrible. Little did I know "Mumbai" is what we've known as "Bombay" our whole lives. How did I never hear of this name change? I checked "the internet" and it said the change was made not last week like I assumed, but in 1995!

But I did dig up (meaning sit on my ass pressing buttons--archaeologists must be so pissed about that term being thrown around from couches everywhere) this Safire article from 2006. Okay, I don't feel so stupid after reading that.

But I'm thinking that the news stations really should be saying "Major Shit Going Down in City You Think of As Bom-freakin'-bay, Not Just Some City You've Never Heard Of!"

Wow, new gunfire at that hotel (what? I knew it was the Taj Mahal hotel as opposed to the actual Taj Mahal--I know that's in Atlantic City...sheesh)

Kwiz Sick's Stadium

The other day, I heard that song "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats on the radio. The next day, I heard "Jeopardy" by Greg Kihn Band, and I was like, "Holy Crap!" Why? (Obviously they have something in common. That's what you have to figure out.)Note: Kwiz has been quickly solved!

Current Kwiz standings here as always. Lots of people got on the board on that last one.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Pukebarf

RI Sunset

Kim needed me to drop something off at a UPS Store. I checked to see where they are, and I figured I go to the Warwick one--not too much farther from us than the downcity Providence one--so I could take some lighthouse/bay shots. I wasn't even thinking about sunset shots, but just when I got to the point, the sky turned pink. Click to enlarge:

Those are obviously looking west. Below, looking east at the Conimicut Lighthouse in Naragansett Bay.

And then looking back up north, I could see the lights of Providence, eight miles north up the river.

The "A" marker below is where I was standing. Sorry about the raindrops on the lens...

"We're Mitch Williams In The 9th"

Gettin' Up There

Here's a fun way to taunt friends and family (maybe at Thanksgiving!).

If you know someone who was born between August 20th, 1946, and August, 3rd, 1961, let 'em know that for the first time in their lives, they're about to be older than the President of the United States.

So I discovered this blog does quizzes--and I've answered the first two I've seen correctly. I'm always doing the quizzing; it's good to be on the other side sometimes. (In fact, I like that even better--if anybody wants to start a quiz blog, please do.)

As soon as I figure out the point totals on that last Kwiz (meaning my own Kwizzes, hence the K), I'll post the next one. I can't believe we're already a quarter of the way through the '08-'09 Kwiz season!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Metabaldelli

Don't you feel like the inevitable acquisition of Rocco Baldelli has lost its luster? Ever since he came up, I figured the local kid would be one day settle in with the Sox. Since then, he's been constantly injured, with the weirdest and saddest ailments. Now we're in the market for a fourth outfielder, and Rocco's a free agent. But instead of being the All-Star centerfielder we always thought he'd become, he's...a fourth outfielder. Do I still want him? Sure. And I hear he recently met with the team. But the thrill is gone already. He just looks so sad and fatigued, almost like that guy in Heat at the beginning that Wayne Gro is yelling at, but he just stares blankly, his ears full of blood. In one interview, he talked about how his brother got to sit in the dugout, which he normally can't do because of a peanut allergy. The "peanut allergy" is the saddest of all allergies. If you're a kid, it's second only to being allergic to air: you just don't get to leave the house much. Who knows, maybe Rocco can give it a go over here at Grover Cleveland.

In other news, what most people don't realize about Jonathan Papelbon is the fact that as well as being a great closer, he's also a very talented drummer for the rock group Queen. (bottom left)

That Time Of Year Again. Also, Varitek Stuff.

Candaian Blog Awards! Remember, your favorite Red Sox blog, Joy of Sox, is based in Canada, and is therefore eligible...and is therefore the best sports blog in Canada. So vote here for Joy of Sox. One vote per person, but, of course, I, as sort of a rogue campaign manager, am always looking for loopholes. The extent of my hacking knowledge is "try a different browser," and that wouldn't let me vote again. So try to get in as many votes as you can--if you discover a loophole, send me a private e-mail or a coded comment. In the meantime, vote from your computer, and then start voting from any other computer you can find. Vote from your phone, too, if you can.

Hey, what if someone were to go to the store and start testing out phones or Blackberries or whatever--and while pretending to "try it out," they could be going to that site and voting over and over? Stuff like that. You can also vote for We Move to Canada in several categories including Best Progressive Blog.

Supposedly, Jason Varitek's been offered* a one-year deal from the Sox. This is what I wanted--him offered a short-term deal, which he immediately realizes is what he deserves since he's older, and he gladly accepts it, knowing that hitting does count and therefore...well, you get the idea. The point is, I think this is the year Boras ends up offing himself or something because he'll see that nobody's buying his crap or his players anymore. I mean, he's pretty much doing what a "smart businessman" would do, just keep raising prices till people stop buying. But come on, don't be a dick. Eventually you start believing you're own hype when you're telling the buyer that it would be an insult to give Stan Papi less than a ten year, one trillion dollar contract.

*Update: Notice I said "supposedly"? Sure enough, Boras comes out and says the report --it was by WEEI, the worst radio station to ever exist--is bullshit. I guess either side could be lying--I don't know who to root for, or against, in this situation! Boras vs. EEI, it's like a Yankees-Cowboys Super Series! By the way, did you hear the Yanks and Cowboys have teamed up to make one giant refriger-hater?

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Recreation Park, Detroit

The Detroit Wolverines played in the NL from 1881 to 1888, when they disbanded, having won one league title in their time. Their park was about a mile north of where the Tigers play today. "Recreation Park" was the public park where the ballpark stood, but as far as I know, there was no specific name for it other than that.

I learned that from the plaque shown on this site. But finding where that plaque was turned out to be difficult, thanks to conflicting info on that page. I finally found the spot, though. See the marker on the map. The picture is looking northwest. I looked at it for way too long--found the brick walkway, compared tree locations, building tops, etc.

Anyway, that plaque claims to be in "the left field" so I made my footprint fit that. I think the park could've been further south, but it should be exactly right east-west-wise, as the Wikipedia page says it was bordered on the east by Beaubien Street, which you can see a little south of where the park is/was.

It's Bitter Baby And It's Very Sweet

Sox offer contract to a guy who's probably good. [Update: A Japanese site says we've already got the guy (Junichi Tazawa), and he'll start at AA. But A. you never know with these things and B. it's in Japanese, so I can't even read it whether it's truth or not.]

As for Kiedis*, isn't it weird how last offseason, we all wanted Lowell to stay, and not take A-Rod--and made it clear to the point where the team actually listened--but now we know if we get Kiedis, Lowell will have to go, but we seem to be okay with that?

Of course, not everybody was against signing A-Rod, and I'm sure some people would rather see Lowell stay. But if you can get Kiedis, you almost have to do it, and Lowell would be up crap's creek. Maybe some of us feel like Mike gave us his encore this year (after winning World Series MVP in '07) and now we realize how much better off we'd be with Kiedis? I don't know, I'd hate to see Mikey go. If he's healthy, I think he'll be fine. But even when I think of that, I think of how much better a hitter Kiedis is. (He's also six years younger.) The key is pitching anyway--we need to sign one of these free agent pitchers and worry about the offense later.

*I've always referred to Mark Teixeira as "Kiedis" due to the facial similarities between him and the Red Hot Chili Peppers' singer, Anthony Kiedis.

_______ Stadium

Stadium naming rights has to stop. Why don't all the teams just make an agreement that nobody's gonna do it? The latest issue with this is the fact that the Mets's new park, Citi Field, might never have a game played in it under that name, as CitiCorp is rapidly going to shit. (Citi happens to be my bank--I'm hoping their misfortune leads to my gain somehow.) I can't imagine having my team's park's name changed every five minutes. Weren't we warned about this in "We Built This City"?

Commenter HorshamScouse has grabbed a shot of me (gray jersey, black sleeves, camera around neck) and my mom at ALCS Game 3. Thanks! Click thumbnail for larger pic. I love how the super-rich people in the two rows ahead of me with their fancy tray of strawberries and cookies didn't get in that shot. Just me, my mom, and the drunken guys behind us.